Latest news with #Hunger-FreeKidsAct
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Whole, skim, or soy? The congressional battle over milk in school lunches
In 2010, United States lawmakers passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aimed to tackle both childhood obesity and hunger by making school meals more nutritious. Two years later, the Department of Agriculture updated its guidance for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, or NSLP, in accordance with the law. Whereas schools could previously serve fat-free, 1 percent, 2 percent, or whole milk and be eligible for federal reimbursement, now they could only recoup meal costs if they ditched 2 percent and whole milk, which were thought to be too high in saturated fat for kids. Representative Glenn 'G.T.' Thompson has been on a mission to change that. The Republican legislator representing Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district believes the 2010 law sparked a decline in students drinking milk across the board. 'We have lost a generation of milk drinkers since whole milk was demonized and removed from schools,' he told a local agribusiness group in 2021. Between 2019 and 2023, Thompson introduced the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act — a bill that would allow schools to serve whole milk again under the NSLP — three times without success. In January of this year, he reintroduced the bill once again — and inspired a group of animal welfare, environmental, and public health organizations to push for a vegan countermeasure. This month, a bipartisan group of legislators put forward the Freedom in School Cafeterias and Lunches, or FISCAL, Act, which would expand the definition of milk under the NSLP to include plant-based options. Currently, schools participating in the NSLP can offer milk substitutions to students with a note from a parent or doctor — but the FISCAL Act is promoting a world where vegan milks are offered freely, alongside cow's milk. If students end up replacing their daily cow's milk with a plant-based alternative, this has the potential to bring down food-related greenhouse gas emissions. But you won't hear supporters of the FISCAL Act talking up the climate benefits of plant-based milk in the halls of Congress. Instead, they're focusing on the health benefits of soy, oat, and other vegan drinks for students who can't digest or simply don't want cow's milk. 'Most of this nation's children of color are lactose intolerant, and yet our school lunch program policy makes it difficult for these kids to access a nutritious fluid beverage that doesn't make them sick,' said Senator Cory Booker, a Democratic co-sponsor of the bill. This focus on student health — and the absence of any environmental talking points — reflect the eternally tricky politics around milk in U.S. schools, which have become even more complicated in President Donald Trump's second term. Milk has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other animal proteins, like beef, pork, poultry, and cheese. But dairy production still comes with considerable climate impacts — mainly from the food grown to feed cows, as well as methane emitted via cow burps and manure. In 2020, researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that a dairy cow can release 350 pounds of methane every year through their burps — meaning, all told, dairy cows are responsible for 2.7 percent of the U.S.'s total greenhouse gases. Nondairy milks — fortified drinks like soy, almond, oat, and rice milk — have varying impacts on the environment and climate, but all of these plant-based alternatives use less land and water than cow's milk to produce, and result in fewer emissions. Under the NSLP, schools cannot be reimbursed for the cost of meals unless they offer students milk. The Center for a Humane Economy, an animal welfare and environmental group backing the FISCAL Act, calls this America's 'milk mandate.' In 2023, student Marielle Williamson sued her Los Angeles high school for not allowing her to set up an informational table about plant-based milk unless she also promoted dairy. Subsidized school lunches have been described as 'a guaranteed market' for farmers' products; this is all but acknowledged when legislators like Thompson blame school lunch for the decline of the dairy industry. Indeed, in a recent Senate agricultural committee hearing over the whole milk bill, Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, said, 'Not only do school meal programs reduce hunger and promote learning, they also support our local farmers and ranchers at a time when it's probably the very worst time I've seen in decades' for farmers. The animal welfare groups backing the FISCAL Act argue schools need more flexibility to meet the needs of students with lactose intolerance. Consumption of milk has fallen consistently since the 1970s, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. That change is thought to be the result of shifting diets, as well as perhaps a reflection of America's growing racial and ethnic diversity. It is estimated that half of American adults have difficulty digesting lactose, the protein found in milk and many other dairy products. These rates are higher in Black, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American, and Jewish communities. 'We've had so much marketing to tell us that the milk of a cow is, you know, nature's perfect food, and it clearly is not,' said Wayne Pacelle, the head of Animal Wellness Action, an advocacy group that opposes animal cruelty and supports the FISCAL Act. Pacelle acknowledged the climate impact of the dairy industry: 'It's just a truth that cows are big contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.' But he noted that arguments related to the climate are unlikely to sway the debate over school lunch beverages. 'The Republican Congress is not really so attuned to that,' he said. As a result, his group and the others pushing for the FISCAL Act aren't talking much about the environmental considerations of drinking cow's milk. This aligns with a shift happening in the broader food industry under the second Trump administration, as producers and manufacturers figure out which talking points are most appealing to leaders like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has called for schools to start offering whole milk again. The Republicans pushing for whole milk in schools are talking up the health and economic benefits of whole milk, an argument that came into sharp relief during a Senate agricultural committee hearing in early April. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, who drank from a tall glass of milk before addressing the committee, referenced the term 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA, when making his case. The movement, popularized by RFK, Jr., taps into wellness, environmental, and food safety concerns in the general public and offers solutions based in pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. Marshall, a co-sponsor of the whole milk bill in the Senate, said MAHA is 'about whole foods, and I think we could categorize whole milk as part of' that framework. While Republicans and Democrats alike may be side-stepping the dairy industry's environmental impact and spending more time talking about student health, there is one environmental consideration that's caught the attention of advocates of both whole milk and plant-based milk. That's food waste, a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. Forty-five percent of the milk cartons offered at breakfast in schools are thrown out annually because students don't take them. When students do grab milk at breakfast, a fourth of those cartons still wind up unopened in the trash. Krista Byler, a food service director for the Union City Area School District in northwestern Pennsylvania, spoke at the Senate agricultural committee hearing and said serving whole milk in her schools helped milk consumption go up, ultimately reducing the amount of milk wasted. 'I hated seeing such an exorbitant amount of milk wasted daily in our small district and was hearing stories of even bigger waste ratios in larger districts,' Byler said in her written testimony. A similar case has been made by Pacelle and other supporters of the FISCAL Act, who argue students will be more likely to drink — and finish — their beverage at school if they have the option to go plant-based. Recently, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids bill passed a House agriculture committee vote. If it passes a full House vote, it could then move on to the Senate. Meanwhile, the FISCAL Act is still in committee in both houses of Congress. Pacelle said the best chance the FISCAL Act has of passing is if its provisions are included as an amendment to the whole milk bill — framing it not as a rival measure, but as a complementary effort to create more choice for students. 'Moving it independently is unlikely because of the power of the dairy lobby,' said Pacelle, 'and the G.T. Thompsons of the world.' This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Whole, skim, or soy? The congressional battle over milk in school lunches on Apr 18, 2025.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Got Milk? Kansas senator pushes bill to bring back whole milk options in schools
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) is pushing for public schools to bring back whole and reduced milk options in schools across the U.S. During a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Tuesday, Marshall can be seen drinking from a glass of whole milk before sharing remarks on the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. USDA cuts impact Kansas City metro food banks, nonprofits The bipartisan legislation claims it looks to 'improve our students' nutrition intake and will be a critical step in improving child nutrition health outcomes.' Juice recalled in Kansas over potentially deadly food poisoning risk During the senate meeting, Marshall emphasized some of the health benefits tied to the consumption of whole milk, including the fats found in milk. 'I'm going to just talk a little bit more about healthy fats. And some of the good things about these healthy fats is [they help] with hormone production. So think about adolescents going through puberty, those types of things. So there's good fats that help with that hormone production,' Marshall said. Judge rules Platte County doesn't have to implement children's health tax In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that required schools' meals to include more healthy food options and changed nutritional standards for school lunches. The 2010 act specified schools were required 'to offer students a variety of fluid milk that is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.' Deanna Rose Farmstead opens for season with baby llama, new playground Marshall also noted during the hearing a lower consumption of whole milk in children and linked the lower consumption to osteoporosis diagnosis in adults. 'Bone mass density peaks around age 28, and what we're seeing now is a generation of people reaching that age that didn't drink milk and their bone density is down to standard deviation. Maybe it's more than that,' said Marshall. Kansas City renews contract with KC Pet Project for another year In a study published by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), researchers found nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Legislation could bring whole milk back to schools after 10-year ban
Federal lawmakers are considering bills to reintroduce whole and 2% milk in school meals, a move that could reverse a decade-old policy aimed at reducing childhood obesity. The proposed legislation, which has bipartisan support, seeks to allow whole and 2% milk alongside the skim and low-fat options mandated since 2012 under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. T This act was initially intended to decrease children's intake of saturated fats and calories, according to the Associated Press. 'Kids need wholesome, nourishing food to grow strong and stay healthy, and whole milk is packed with the nutrients they need,' said Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is co-sponsoring the legislation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the current dietary guidelines as 'antiquated' and advocated for the inclusion of whole milk in programs for young children. ALSO READ: Doctors research brain surgery that could be used to treat obesity The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act required school meals to include more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and to limit sugar, sodium, and fat. As part of this initiative, whole and 2% milk were removed from school menus starting in 2012. The U.S. Agriculture Department sets the nutrition guidelines for school meals, which are reviewed every five years. These guidelines adhere to the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which have recommended low-fat or fat-free dairy for those over age 2 since 1985. Some nutrition experts and the dairy industry argue that whole milk has been unfairly criticized, citing studies suggesting that children who consume whole milk may have a lower risk of obesity. However, the dietary guidelines committee found insufficient evidence to change the existing policy. Pending bills in Congress propose that milk fat should not count towards the saturated fat limits in school meals, noting that the composition of dairy fats differs from other saturated fats. Critics of the current guidelines also point out that while whole milk is banned, flavored low-fat milk with added sugars is allowed, which may undermine efforts to promote healthier eating habits. The outcome of the proposed legislation remains uncertain, but it has sparked a renewed debate over the role of whole milk in children's diets and the effectiveness of current dietary guidelines in addressing childhood obesity. VIDEO: Doctors research brain surgery that could be used to treat obesity
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
There's a new push to put whole milk back in school meals. Here's what you should know
More than a dozen years after higher-fat milk was stripped from school meals to slow obesity in American kids and boost their health, momentum is growing to put it back. Federal lawmakers have revived bills that would allow whole and 2% milk to be served again in schools, in addition to the skim and low-fat milk mandated since 2012. A U.S. Senate committee hosted a hearing Tuesday on a bill that has bipartisan support. 'Kids need wholesome, nourishing food to grow strong and stay healthy, and whole milk is packed with the nutrients they need,' said Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is co-sponsoring the legislation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called the federal dietary guidelines requiring low-fat milk 'antiquated' and last month encouraged 'full fat/whole milk' to be used in Head Start programs for the nation's youngest children. The Obama-era move to require skim and low fat milk in schools was aimed at cutting kids' consumption of saturated fat and calories, which can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. But some nutrition experts, lawmakers and the dairy industry argue that whole milk has been unfairly vilified, and that some studies suggest kids who drink whole milk are less likely to have obesity. Critics also contend that many children don't like the taste of lower-fat milk and don't drink it, leading them to miss valuable nutrients. Here's what you need to know about the debate over whole milk in school meals: Why was whole milk removed from school meals? In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aimed to reduce childhood obesity and cut health risks for kids. It required school meals to include more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, protein and low-fat dairy and less sugar, sodium and fat. Starting in 2012, whole and 2% milk was not permitted in school meals because those products are higher in saturated fat and calories than lower-fat options. Nutrition experts said that skim and low-fat milk gave kids the benefits of necessary nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D with less fat and fewer calories. How are school meal guidelines set? The U.S. Agriculture Department sets nutrition guidelines for the national school lunch and breakfast programs, which serve nearly 30 million students each school day. The nutrition standards are required to meet the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are reviewed and revised every five years. Since 1985, those guidelines have recommended that Americans older than age 2 consume low-fat or fat-free dairy. The 2025-2030 dietary guidelines are set for revision this year under a joint effort by USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. A panel of scientific experts who reviewed evidence regarding milk fat content recommended that the U.S. policy remain the same. One reason was that research has shown changes in the federal nutrition program after the 2010 law have slowed the rise in obesity among U.S. kids — even teenagers, said Deanna Hoelscher, a nutrition expert and researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center who served on the dietary guidelines committee. 'We didn't find enough definitive evidence to change a policy that's been in place that has shown good outcomes to date,' Hoelscher said. Although there was limited evidence that consuming higher-fat dairy rather than lower-fat dairy could benefit very young children, there wasn't enough evidence to make a conclusion for older kids and teens, she said. There were 'substantial concerns' with the consistency, quantity and risk of bias in the existing research, the report concluded. What's behind the push for whole milk in schools? Some nutrition experts point to recent research suggesting that kids who drink whole milk could be less likely to be overweight or develop obesity than children who drink lower-fat milk. One 2020 review of 28 studies suggested that the risk was 40% less for kids who drank whole milk rather than reduced-fat milk, although the study authors noted that the research couldn't say whether milk consumption was the reason. One top nutrition expert, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University, noted that the dietary guidelines panel found 'no evidence that whole fat dairy is worse than low-fat dairy,' but they retained the recommendations, citing the need for more research. 'Saturated fat in dairy has not been linked to any adverse health outcomes,' Mozaffarian said. The pending bills in Congress stipulate that milk fat would not be considered as part of the saturated fat limits required in school meals. That's because the saturated fatty acids in dairy have a different composition than beef fat, Mozaffarian said, adding that dairy has other beneficial compounds that could offset theoretical harms. In addition, Mozaffarian noted current USDA guidelines ban whole milk but allow skim and low-fat chocolate and other flavored milk sweetened with added sugars. Last year, the USDA agreed to limit added sugars in school foods for the first time. Dairy industry advocates say participation in school meals programs and consumption of milk have declined since whole milk was removed. What's next? The USDA and HHS must issue the new dietary guidelines this year. Kennedy and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have said they are conducting 'a line-by-line review' of the scientific report issued under the previous administration — but whether that means a new acceptance of whole milk remains unclear. Versions of the 'Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act" are pending in both chambers of Congress. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Associated Press
01-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
There's a new push to put whole milk back in school meals. Here's what you should know
More than a dozen years after higher-fat milk was stripped from school meals to slow obesity in American kids and boost their health, momentum is growing to put it back. Federal lawmakers have revived bills that would allow whole and 2% milk to be served again in schools, in addition to the skim and low-fat milk mandated since 2012. A U.S. Senate committee hosted a hearing Tuesday on a bill that has bipartisan support. 'Kids need wholesome, nourishing food to grow strong and stay healthy, and whole milk is packed with the nutrients they need,' said Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is co-sponsoring the legislation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called the federal dietary guidelines requiring low-fat milk 'antiquated' and last month encouraged 'full fat/whole milk' to be used in Head Start programs for the nation's youngest children. The Obama-era move to require skim and low fat milk in schools was aimed at cutting kids' consumption of saturated fat and calories, which can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. But some nutrition experts, lawmakers and the dairy industry argue that whole milk has been unfairly vilified, and that some studies suggest kids who drink whole milk are less likely to have obesity. Critics also contend that many children don't like the taste of lower-fat milk and don't drink it, leading them to miss valuable nutrients. Here's what you need to know about the debate over whole milk in school meals: Why was whole milk removed from school meals? In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aimed to reduce childhood obesity and cut health risks for kids. It required school meals to include more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, protein and low-fat dairy and less sugar, sodium and fat. Starting in 2012, whole and 2% milk was not permitted in school meals because those products are higher in saturated fat and calories than lower-fat options. Nutrition experts said that skim and low-fat milk gave kids the benefits of necessary nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D with less fat and fewer calories. How are school meal guidelines set? The U.S. Agriculture Department sets nutrition guidelines for the national school lunch and breakfast programs, which serve nearly 30 million students each school day. The nutrition standards are required to meet the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are reviewed and revised every five years. Since 1985, those guidelines have recommended that Americans older than age 2 consume low-fat or fat-free dairy. The 2025-2030 dietary guidelines are set for revision this year under a joint effort by USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. A panel of scientific experts who reviewed evidence regarding milk fat content recommended that the U.S. policy remain the same. One reason was that research has shown changes in the federal nutrition program after the 2010 law have slowed the rise in obesity among U.S. kids — even teenagers, said Deanna Hoelscher, a nutrition expert and researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center who served on the dietary guidelines committee. 'We didn't find enough definitive evidence to change a policy that's been in place that has shown good outcomes to date,' Hoelscher said. Although there was limited evidence that consuming higher-fat dairy rather than lower-fat dairy could benefit very young children, there wasn't enough evidence to make a conclusion for older kids and teens, she said. There were 'substantial concerns' with the consistency, quantity and risk of bias in the existing research, the report concluded. What's behind the push for whole milk in schools? Some nutrition experts point to recent research suggesting that kids who drink whole milk could be less likely to be overweight or develop obesity than children who drink lower-fat milk. One 2020 review of 28 studies suggested that the risk was 40% less for kids who drank whole milk rather than reduced-fat milk, although the study authors noted that the research couldn't say whether milk consumption was the reason. One top nutrition expert, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University, noted that the dietary guidelines panel found 'no evidence that whole fat dairy is worse than low-fat dairy,' but they retained the recommendations, citing the need for more research. 'Saturated fat in dairy has not been linked to any adverse health outcomes,' Mozaffarian said. The pending bills in Congress stipulate that milk fat would not be considered as part of the saturated fat limits required in school meals. That's because the saturated fatty acids in dairy have a different composition than beef fat, Mozaffarian said, adding that dairy has other beneficial compounds that could offset theoretical harms. In addition, Mozaffarian noted current USDA guidelines ban whole milk but allow skim and low-fat chocolate and other flavored milk sweetened with added sugars. Last year, the USDA agreed to limit added sugars in school foods for the first time. Dairy industry advocates say participation in school meals programs and consumption of milk have declined since whole milk was removed. What's next? The USDA and HHS must issue the new dietary guidelines this year. Kennedy and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have said they are conducting 'a line-by-line review' of the scientific report issued under the previous administration — but whether that means a new acceptance of whole milk remains unclear. Versions of the 'Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act' are pending in both chambers of Congress. ___
